Patriots Drive for Five: Martellus Bennett Due for Big Offensive Game
New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett will not only get an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, he will get a chance to do it in his hometown.
With Super Bowl week now upon us, there will be many stories coming out of the city of Houston. One of those stories will involve the outspoken, comedic, talented New England Patriots playmaker Martellus Bennett. The tight end is due for a big offensive output, and what better place and time to do it than in his hometown on the NFL’s biggest stage.
Bennett, who played two sports at Alief Taylor High School in Houston, didn’t give much thought to playing in either the Super Bowl or NBA Finals. He was a creative thinker whose imagination wandered beyond sports.
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"“When I was a kid, I wasn’t thinking about that with my imagination,” Bennett told the media via The Boston Herald. . “It was more about dragons and wizards. Football was just what we did. In Texas if you don’t play football you’re a weirdo, you know, so I always laugh because I tell people, Texas is all football and God. Growing up there, just playing football there, we didn’t have to imagine it. It’s what we did, you know?”"
Heading into the Super Bowl without the services of Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots are glad Bennett didn’t let his imagination take him too far away from football. Acquired from the Chicago Bears prior to the start of the season, Martellus Bennett was brought to the team as a nice complement to Gronkowski. He was also seen as a potential replacement for the All-Pro tight end if he went down with injury.
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With the latter being the case, Bennett has an opportunity to be key in the Patriots offense next Sunday. While he has had some big offensive games early in the season, nagging injuries has slowed him down a big so far in the playoffs. Barring health, Bennett is certainly due for a big game. And what better way to do it than just 18 miles away from where he played high school football.
"“It’s pretty cool,” Bennett said of playing in his home town. “That’s where it all started. I remember training to play football just to make the varsity team and sucking and getting better over time, so pretty cool. I’m excited about it.”"
Excitement may be an understatement for Bennett. With the way the Patriots game plan, the vocally energetic and physically gifted tight end will have an opportunity to shine. For Patriots fans, the hope is that a shiny fifth Lombardi trophy ends up in the hands of a former two-sport athlete raised in Houston.
Next: Patriots Super Bowl 51 Injury Update: Gostkowski, Ebner Return
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